Mail catcher and deliverer.



No. 897,808. PATENTED SEPT. l, 1908. J. 0. WATTS. MAIL GATOHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION IIL'ED AN. 8, 1908.

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//J// M v U No. 897,803. PATENTBD SEPT. 1, 1908.

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JOHN C. WATTS, OF VAN WERT, OHIO.

MAIL CATCHER AND DELIVERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 8, 1908.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Serial No. 409,818.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. WATTS, citizen of the United States, residing at Van Wert, in the county of Van Wert and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Mail Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to means for receiving mail from moving trains and adapted to be located at stations or other points along the railway to eflect delivery without producing any a preciable wear or strain upon the sack or ot or device containing the matter to be discharged from the movin train.

For a fu 1 understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accom anying drawings.

Wh' e the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departin from the spirit or essential features thereo still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a erspective view of a portion of a mail car and a crane located at one side of the track and provided with means to effect delivery from the car to the crane embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the post just above the swinging arm, the full lines showing the latter when set to receive mail from a passing car, and the dotted lines showing the position of the arm when swung aside after receiving the mail.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The present invention relates most especially to the sling and to the swinging arm. The sling consists of a loop 1 and an attaching stra 2, the latter adapted to be buckled about t e bag or container 3 receiving the matter to be delivered. The loop 1 is stiffened or reinforced both to sustain the hard usage to which it is subjected in service and to maintain the predetermined shape to admit of its being readily engaged by the hook at the outer end of the swinging arm. The outer portion 4 of the loop 1 consists, preferably, of a portion of the strap 2 and the reinforcement 5 and cross bar constitute parts of a second strap which has an end portion 6 attached to the strap 2 near one end and extended across to the opposite part of the strap forming a member 7 of the cross bar, said strap being fitted to the inner side of the curved portion 4 of the strap 2 and attached thereto and having its end portion 8 lapped alongside the cross piece 7 and forming the second member of the cross bar, the opposite end 9 of the second strap being bent and attached to the inner side of the strap 5 adj acent to the cross bar. The attaching loop 1 formed in the manner set forth, is sufliciently stout to sustain the severe tugs to which subjected when in service and will maintain an approximately normal shape so as to ositively make engagement with the hook o the crane.

The crane at one side of the track comprises post 10 and swinging arm 11. Braces 12 and 13 are secured at their outer ends to the arm-11 and have pivotal connection at their other ends with the post 10. Eyes 14 and 15 are provided upon the post 10 and re ceive journals 16 at the ends of the braces 12 and 13. Each of the braces 12 and 13 is provided with an extension 17 which overlaps the arm 11 and is secured thereto, both extensions 17 being secured together and to the arm 11 by'the same fastenings 18. The arm 11 is provided at its outer end with a double hook 19 having a space 20, both hook members projecting from opposite edges of the arm in an upward direction. The space 20 is located directly above the outer extremity of the arm 11 and admits of the loop 1 pass ing therethrough so as to enter one or the other of the hooks according to the direction of movement of the train. The inner end portion 21 of the arm 11 passes between the braces 12 and 13 and projects beyond the extensions 17 of said braces and is adapted to engage with a plate 22 attached to the post 10 and which plate is curved in its length and engages frictionally with the terminal portion 21 of the arm 11 so as to hold the latter in an adjusted position against actual movement either by currents of air or any slight knocks to which the arm 11 may be subjected. Openings 23 are provided in the end portions of the plate 22 to receive pins 24 so as to hold the arm 11 about parallel with the track and out of the Way when not set to receive matter from a moving train.

The car 25 may be provided with a catcher hook 26 of any construction so as to receive mail from the station in the accustomed Way. The post 10 may be provided with means for delivering mail from the station to the moving train and said means may consist of pivoted arms 27 and 28 provided with means for holding a mail bag 29 in position to be taken up by the catcher hook 26. The present in vention is independent of the means for deliver-ing mail from a station to the train and may be used ointly therewith or independently thereof, as will be readily understood.

In accordance with this'invention matter to be delivered from a moving train is placed in the usual mail bag or container and the sling is fitted thereto by buckling the strap 2 therearound, after which the back is placed in the opening in the side of the mail car with the loop 1 projecting outward and in a predetermined position. The arm 11 of the crane at the station to receive the matter from the train, after being released, is swung outward at a right angle to the track, and as the train passes by the station, one or the other of the double hooks engages with the loop 1 of the sling fitted to the matter to be delivered, and the momentum of the train causes the arm 11 to swing, thereby throwing the mail outward and away from the train and at the same time checking the speed of the bag containing the matter because of the circular path in which it travels.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, an arm arranged to swing horizontally, a brace secured to said arm and having pivotal connection with the support to which the arm is attached, and a plate attached to the support to which said brace is pivotally connected and adapted to engage frictionally with the inner end of the swinging arm.

2. In combination, a horizontally swinging arm, braces projected from opposite sides of the arm and pivoted to the support to which said arm is attached, said arm having an end portion extending between the braces, and a plate attached to the support to which said braces are connected and adapted to engage frictionally with the inner end of the swinging arm.

3. A sling for delivering mail, the same consisting of a strap doubled upon itself, a cross bar connecting opposite portions of the strap near one end to form an attaching loop,

and reinforcing means for stiffening said attachingloop.

4. A sling for delivering mail, the same consisting of a strap doubled upon itself, a second strap having a portion connecting op.-v posite parts of the mail strap near one end to form an attaching loop and having the re- {naming portion stiffening said attaching 5. A sling for the purposes specified, the same consisting of a strap adapted to double upon itself, a second strap attached at one end to the main strap near an end thereof and extended thence across the space between side portions of the folded main strap and attached to the opposite side, forming an attaching loop, and thence extended around the inner side of the attaching loop to stiffen and strengthen the same, and again extended across the space between the folded parts of the main strap to form a second member of a cross bar, separating the attaching loop from the main portion of the strap.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. WATTS. [L. s.] Witnesses:

W. T. BAcxUs, T. P. CLARK. 

